Scammers are primarily zeroing in on older adults, and the scheme has become so prevalent that the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office issued an advisory about it.
How These Medicare Scam Calls Operate
Typically, a Medicare enrollee receives a phone call from someone professing to represent the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration, or an insurance carrier. The caller asserts that new cards are being issued and asks you to update the information they have on file.
Next, the fraudster will request your banking details. Frequently, they’ll also ask you to confirm your Medicare ID number, which is essentially your Social Security number.
By the conclusion of this brief call, the scammer may have amassed sufficient details to make unauthorized charges and assume your identity.
“Callers involved in this crime ring may be extremely aggressive, calling over and over, and at all times of the day, in an attempt to wear down the potential victim,” warns Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. “These criminals will say anything to try to gain a person’s trust… Do not believe these claims, and do not carry on a conversation with the caller.”
Swanson’s alert notes that people nationwide have been receiving these Medicare scam calls.
What You Should Do If You Get One of These Calls
If you get a call like the one described, hang up right away and report it.
Her office advises that engaging with the scammers at all—even to tell them to stop—could encourage repeated calls as they attempt to wear you down into revealing information.
Keep in mind, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not phone you to confirm your ID number, nor will it request payment details because new cards are free.
If you fear you may have already handed over sensitive data to a scammer, contact the major credit bureaus immediately to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
Also, stay informed about related fraud risks by reading guidance on how to detect senior scams and learn what to do about unexpected charges by reviewing tips on surprise medical bills.
Your Turn: Have you ever received a call from someone trying to scam you?
Jordan Hale is a reporter at Savinly.
